Jake
Shields' World Series of Fighting debut has been delayed. | Dave
Mandel/Sherdog.com

The fight card for WSOF
11 has been altered again, as an injury to Jake Shields
has forced the welterweight to withdraw from his planned clash with
Jon
Fitch.

Sherdog.com on Wednesday confirmed the news with World Series of
Fighting officials following an initial report from
MMAFighting.com. Shields stepped in earlier this month after the
promotion’s original plan to pair Fitch against champion Rousimar
Palhares fell through.

WSOF 11 takes place July 5 at a to-be-announced location and is
headlined by a lightweight title confrontation between Justin
Gaethje and Nick Newell.
The evening’s main card airs live on NBC Sports, though it is
currently unknown if Fitch will remain on the bill.

Shields, 35, has not competed since receiving his UFC release on
the heels of a March decision loss to Hector
Lombard. Prior to that setback, the former Strikeforce
middleweight king had won back-to-back bouts, outpointing Demian Maia
and Tyron
Woodley in split verdicts last year.

Fitch, 36, competed for the UFC from 2005 to 2013, racking up a
record of 14-3-1 during his time with the promotion. The American
Kickboxing Academy standout was knocked out by Josh
Burkman in his WSOF debut last June but rebounded in October,
taking a split decision win over Marcelo
Alfaya at WSOF 6.